Lofty Goals

Illustration Copyright Jaye Smith, 2023

I can't draw to save my life. It's not my thing. I've even given up wanting to be good at it. Do you know why? Because I'm a writer and other people are artists so I don't have to be. Take my friend Jaye, here. See that incredibly adorable penguin picture he made me in one night? That would have taken me 87 days and I'd have ended up with what looks like five awkward ovals with a few orange blobs attached. But to Jaye, it comes naturally paired with some work to keep up his mad skillz. (This was my Christmas present, by the way - it's a picture of me as a Momma penguin with my four kids and their personalities showing through. I love it!)

But my ultimate goal? To be the best doggone children's author I can possibly be. I don't care about riches or fame, I care about getting the message out. What's the message?

Love.

Kindness.

Acceptance, inclusion, generosity, encouragement, affirmation, purpose... and so much more. I want kids to know that it's not just OKAY to be who they were created to be, it's their purpose in life.

They're not going to be perfect, and that's okay. We're not, either.

My lofty goals for this year are:

• publish three more books (two are already written and being illustrated!)

• double my followers on all social media platforms (hit me up if you haven't yet!)

• get Boz the Bee into every library and elementary school classroom I can (message me to get your copy - local teachers within pickup range get them AT COST!)

Here's to 2024 and the hope that a fresh new start brings to each and every one of us. Have you felt like you're going the wrong direction? Stop, turn around, take a breath, and start over.

SJS